Re: Atmel releasing FLASH AVR32 ?


On the subject of Multiple cores, and multiple threads, news today
shows this is advancing quite quickly. Intel does not seem to
think it is a 'waste of die area'.....

If you read what I wrote then you'd know that on a high end CPU it
takes far less area than on a low end CPU. However Intel must still
think it is a waste of die area, otherwise all their CPUs would have it...


Multithreading on a high end general purpose CPU gives problem on their own.
Especially with cache trashing.
With an embedded core where you use tightly coupled high bandwidth memory
for most of the threads you do not have that problem

Note I am not advocating symmetric multiprocessing.

I think it is eminently useful for assymetric multiprocessing where
you have some dedicated tasks to do which are best implemented
in a separate CPU to avoid real time response conflicts and can
be implemented in a low end 32 bitter.

I think you need to stop trying to explain why a single CPU
is better than a multiththreaded CPU, because noone is
using a single CPU for implementing two simulaneously
operating software MACs.
If you continue, that just proves that you are either ignorant or not
listening

The issues is replacing multiple CPUs/Memory Subsystems
with a single multithreaded CPU addressing a memory subsystem´
consisting of internal TCM memory, internal loosely coupled
memory (flash?) and external memory.



It is required now as 8 cores on a single chip use so much
bandwidth that most cores are waiting for external memory most
of the time (despite the huge L2 and L3 caches). Switching to a
different thread on a cache miss makes sense in this case.

Eight cores and 16 threads (probably they mean per-core?) is impressive
for what sound like fairly mainstream cores.

It clearly says 2 threads per core. Any more would be a waste.


Look at Sun and UltraSparc T1, they certainly do not see the boundaries that
you see.
I do not think that they are limited by Intels vision...
Also I pointed you at the new MIPS Multithreading core.
They certainly do not agree with You!

Wilco



--
Best Regards,
Ulf Samuelsson
This is intended to be my personal opinion which may,
or may not be shared by my employer Atmel Nordic AB


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